Guangdong marine police said 16 suspects had been arrested and meat products valued at more than 80 million yuan (HK$93 million) were confiscated during a raid on a boat off the coast in the Pearl River Delta on Thursday, the Nanfang Daily reported.

The suspects were now being interrogated about their alleged smuggling operation, the report said.

They had been treated with a variety of dangerous chemicals to help bleach the colour of the meat to make it look better, increase the meat’s tenderness, suppress the growth of bacteria to keep it on shop shelves longer, and increase the size and weight of products, the report said.

However, the use of harmful chemicals on the meat products broke Chinese food safety standards, the authorities said.

Police said they had also found three large refrigerated chambers inside the boat. The suspects’ illegal transactions were being carried out mostly while at sea to avoid raising suspicion, the police said.

The meat products had come mainly from the United States, Brazil and Thailand.